Distance
by Prisoner of Azkaban711
Summary: Written for the Quidditch League Round 8 - Victoire Weasley is about to leave for her final year at Hogwarts, but this time it is without Teddy Lupin.


Author's note: This is written for the Quidditch League Fanfiction Competition (Round 8) "Next-Gen lovin'" Enjoy :)

Task: Write about a Next Generation Weasley character – Victoire Weasley.

Prompts used: Unfortunately not used this round.

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter

Victoire steadily made her way into the packed entrance of Kings Cross Station, maintaining a short distance from her parents who were leading the way. She kept them in sight as she pushed her trunk and snow white owl through the bustling crowds and towards the barrier between platforms nine and ten.

Tentatively, she glanced at the clock above the sign that read 'platform 9'. Ten-thirty. In half an hour, she would be without him for four whole months.

She sighed and looked down at the floor. Victoire had absolutely no idea what Hogwarts would be like without his bright blue hair and dashing smile that managed to light up her whole world, even on the darkest days.

"Hey, watch out!"

Victoire whipped her head up to see a tall man in a grey suit stood directly in front of her trolley, looking rather annoyed. Had she have moved another two steps, the man would likely be in a heap on the floor.

"I'm sorry," she said quickly and directed her luggage to the left of the man, and hurried her pace to catch up with her family, who were almost at the ticket barrier.

Still walking swiftly, she reached her mother and father who stood off to one side with Dominque and Louis.

"Where did you get to, Vic?" Louis asked curiously, pushing his own trolley towards the barrier alongside his eldest sister.

"I attempted to run a man over, I think," Victoire replied, looking back at the spot where she had had to stop.

"Thinking about Teddy?" Louis teased, skilfully dodging Victoire well aimed swing.

"Shut up, Louis," Victoire fired back before running at the barrier between the two platforms.

Instinctively, she closed her eyes as she ran at the metal gate and when she opened them, the gleaming scarlet engine stood impressively in front of her.

She moved forward so that the rest of her family could make their way through the gate to join her.

Dominique came through with her trunk and her mother, followed by Louis and finally her father. Bill walked over to her and smiled.

"Ready for your final year?" he asked her when he reached her side.

"Mmm," Victoire replied, not looking him in the eye.

"Are you alright, Victoire?" her father asked quietly as he saw her saddened expression.

"Yes, I'm fine," she quickly replied, knowing that her tone made the comment unbelievable.

"You'll see him at Christmas, you know," Bill replied to her, as they made their way further onto the platform which was still fairly empty.

Victoire turned to look at her father, wondering how he was always able to know what was going on in her head. She guessed it was parent's intuition.

"I know," she admitted, "it's just that it'll be strange without him there."

"Don't worry," he replied as he put his arm around her and pulled her into a hug, "it'll be Christmas before you know it."

Victoire smiled a little as she pulled away and made her way over to the open doors of the Hogwarts Express carriages.

She lined up her trunk with the open door, taking care to remove her caged owl, and was about to step up into the carriage to pull it in, when a pair of hands lifted the case through the gap before she could take another step.

She stood with her owl as the mystery figure jumped down from the train onto the platform beside her. Teddy Lupin grinned at her as he ran a hand through his turquoise hair, looking at her slightly shocked expression.

"Teddy," Victoire gasped, dropping her owl in the carriage doorway and throwing her arms around his neck.

"You didn't think I'd let you leave without saying goodbye, did you?" Teddy said quietly into her ear.

"I don't know what I was thinking," she confessed, pulling out of the hug and touching his face gently.

"Well, I'm here now," Teddy replied quietly, pressing their foreheads together as the steam from the engine began to wrap around them and descend gracefully over the growing crowd around the train.

"It's going to be so weird without you," Victoire whispered.

"It'll be gone before you know it," he replied before gently pressing his lips to hers. Victoire kissed him back eagerly, hoping that time would just stop and she wouldn't have to leave him here alone.

She could feel a couple of pairs of eyes on them, but she really didn't care. All of her thoughts were consumed by the boy that she loved with all of her heart.

But it did not last.

"Hey, you know that you're stood in a doorway, right?" said a familiar voice from directly behind Teddy. Victoire looked over his shoulder to see James Potter, her cousin, just as Teddy turned his head to look. James was stood with his own trunk and owl, trying to get them into the train carriage.

"Find another door, James," Teddy replied quickly, before turning back around to Victoire. They were just about to resume their kiss when James said:

"What are you doing, Teddy?"

"I'm here to see Victoire off, so if you wouldn't mind going away, that'd be great," Teddy said sarcastically, not looking at James.

"Alright, alright, keep your hair on," James said quickly before turning on his heel and walking to the next open door.

"They always have to interrupt everything, don't they?" Teddy said exasperatedly.

"It would appear so," replied Victoire with a small giggle.

The last fifteen minutes went far too quickly and soon it was two minutes before eleven. Teddy helped Victoire up onto the train and closed the door behind her, though he still held her hand through the open window.

"You'll write to me won't you," he said above the sound of the bustling crowd and whistles that informed everyone that the train was about to depart.

"Every week," she replied with a sad smile, "I love you."

"I love you too," he replied, giving her hand a squeeze as the train began to pull away from the platform and he had to let go.

As it picked up speed, they both waved until the other was only a pinprick in the distance. It was only four months and it'd been gone before either of them knew it.


End file.
